Intel officers censured, dismissed over death of soldier during Krav Maga training

Several intelligence officers were censured or dismissed from their roles over the death of a soldier during Krav Maga training earlier this year, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Thursday.

On March 26, Sgt. Yosef Haim Tzvi Serlin, 19, who was in combat training in the Military Intelligence Directorate’s Unit 504 — which specializes in HUMINT, or human intelligence — collapsed and died during training at an army base in northern Israel.

A probe conducted by a panel of experts into the circumstances of Serlin’s death was presented to his family, following the completion of a medical review, the army said.

The investigation team, headed by a brigadier general, looked into orders, procedures, and documents from exercises in the unit, and questioned officers, soldiers, and Krav Maga experts in the army. The team also received testimonies from soldiers present during the incident.

The probe found that Serlin carried out the Krav Maga drill, which was part of the unit’s training program. At one point during the exercise, he was injured, and after attempts to administer medical treatment, he was declared dead. The IDF said that for privacy reasons, the medical circumstances would not be detailed.

The investigation team determined that there were “errors” that deviated from professional guidelines, and the “manner in which the drill was conducted contradicted the orders and instructions” of the IDF’s chief infantry and paratrooper officer regarding fitness training.

In light of the team’s findings, the chief of the Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen Shlomi Binder decided on the following steps:

The commander of Unit 504, a brigadier general, will receive a formal censure.

The commander of Unit 504’s combat soldiers, a lieutenant colonel, will be denied a promotion for six years.

An officer with the rank of captain will be dismissed from his role immediately and will not be allowed to serve in a role where he commands over other soldiers for two years.

An officer with the rank of lieutenant will be dismissed from his role immediately and will not be allowed to serve in a role where he commands over other soldiers for two years.

Another officer with the rank of lieutenant was dismissed from the IDF entirely.

The military said that Binder “adopted the committee’s conclusions, which determined that the errors led to the tragic outcome and that it was expected of the commanders present to demonstrate responsibility and professionalism during both the preparation phase and the training itself.”

Krav Maga training had also been suspended until “all lessons learned and guidelines are implemented,” the IDF said.

The panel of experts also recommended “professional changes,” mainly within special forces units. The military said the matter was “under extensive staff work.”

The death of Serlin was also still under investigation by the Military Police, the findings of which would be sent to the Military Advocate General for examination and possible charges.